Draining or drying rack for dishes and like culinary effects



May 7, 1929. w. G. FITZGERALD DRAINING 0R DRYING RACK FOR DISHES rAND LIKE CULINARY EFFECTS Filed April 30,

1926 2 Sheets-Sheet maw/gell? rely,

QHPiuOj v May 7, 1929- w. G. FITZGERALD 11,712,342

DRAININGOR DRYING RACK FOR DISHES AND LIKE CULINARY EFFECTS F'led April 30 1926 2 SheetS-She-et 2 QS, M5755/ VPatented May 7, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM. GEORGE FITZGERALD, or sr. MALO, FRANCE.

DRAINING OR DRYING RACK FO 'DISHES AN D LIKE CULINARY EFFECTS.

Application filed April 30, 1926, Serial No.

This invention comprises improvements in draining or drying racks i'or plates, dishes and other culinary effects and has for its object to provide an improved construction of apparatus of this type.

A further object of my invention is to provide a drying rack, which when not required for use can be collapsed to occupy relatively little space.

A further object of my invention is to provide a rack having means for sup orting cups, bowls and other culinary cflbets.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a drying rack with means to catch the drips 'from the articles being dried. My

invention has for its object to provide further improvements, which will be hereinafter described.

According to my invention the improved draining or drying rack comprises two frames having vertical divisions and cross stays or members interconnected to each other in such manner that when not required Jfor use the rack or Jframes can be collapsed and when required for use can be opened out so that dishes, plates and the like can be supported between the divisions of the two frames. k

Said rack may have combined therewith one or more trays secured thereto in such manner that when the rack is required fon use said tray or trays can be turned to a horizontal position so that cups and other culinary articles can be supported thereon and when not required for use can be collapsed or turned to lie against or parallel with the said frames.

Further auxiliary vtrays may be interconnected to the said frames in such manner that,v when the latter are in their open position, said auxiliary trays assume a horizontal position between the two frames.

If desired means may be provided to catch drips which may drain from the dishes or the like supported by the rack.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood I have hereunto appended explanatory sheets vof drawings. illustrating, by way of example only, a preferred embodiment of my invention and whereonz- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus in the collapsed position.

105,807, and in Great Britain May 13, 1925.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus in the open position and Figure 3 illustrates diagrammatically the movement of the various parts of the ap paratus from the open to the closed position.

Referring to the drawings (L and b are the two frames, c the division wires which extend longitudinally of each frame, and d are the cross stays. Frame a is provided with lugs or vthe like e by which the device can be secured to a wall or the like and frame b is pivotally secured to frame a at A tray y is secured to the.upper end of the apparatus in. such manner that it can be held in the horizontal position as shown in Figure 2 or allowed to assume the vertical position shown in Figure 1.

In theapparatus illustrated said tray g is 'provided on each side thereof with two pins or studs 'h and h1 and the lugs e secured to the upper endof the apparatus are provided vvith closed slots z' and open ended slots il.

The construction is such that when studs h1 fit into the open ended slots said tray is held in its horizontal position, but when the tray is moved forward so that the studs h1 clear their slots the tray can be moved into the vertical position.

If desired, springs, not shown, may be provided to draw the said tray backwards when turned tothe vertical position. l

The lower tray 7' is pivotally secured at jl to lugs i2 secured to the lower end of the frame b, and when moved to the horizontal position is held thereby by projecting studs 7c3 carried by extensions of said frame abutting against said lugs 7'2. 4

Pivotally secured to frame near the cross stay is the auxiliary tray Z and at the lower end of the said'frame is similarly secured the auxiliary tray m.

Arms nare pivoted to the lugs e at nl and to the auxiliary tray m atm?.

Links 0 interconnect the said arms n and the tray Z. Said frames and trays are all conveniently formed of a suitable rigid rectangular frame work and wires extending between two opposite sides thereof, the wires in the lower part of frame b being spaced at a greater distance apart than the wires in the upper part of lsaid fram'e and in the frame a.

By screw nails or other suitable means the apparatus is secured to a wall or other support and when not required for use the frames and trays assume a vertical position as shown in Figure 1 so that. the apparatus thenv occupies very little space.

When required` for' use the lowerend of frame b is dr'awn forward to the position shown in Figure 2, and in so'doing the-trays wards so that the pin h1 lits within the open the tray being therebylocked ended slots 1, in the horizontal position.

The lower tray is turned downwards to assume the horizontal position, the studs las by co-acting with the lugs i2 maintaining the K lower tray in the horizontalposition.

Dishes or plates which have been washed are then placed between the vertical divisions vc of the two frames a and b. Smaller dishes, such as saucers, are placed between the upper divisions of the frame b the peripheries thereof resting on the cross stays d.

Should a dish having a diameter smaller than the distance between the two cross of duck or other suitable fabric' k secured stays be inadvertently inserted between such divisions it is prevented from falling by the arge dinner plates or dishes and the like are placed between the divisions of the lower portions of the frames and b, the dishes resting on the bottom sidesof the two frames. By reason of the spaces between the divisions of the lower part of the frame b being at relatively great distances apart relatively dee plates, such as soupplates, can be intro uced therein, and two or more plates may be introduced between each of such divisions.

Cups, bowls, knives, forks, spoons and other articles may be placed on either the upper or lower trays g or j.

If desired means may be provided to catch the water draining from theplates and the like and in the apparatus illustrated this is effected by means of a short length to cords k1 which pass over the pulleysle1l mounted on a spindle extending between the upper lugs e.

The other ends of said cords have secured thereto weighted members r. A guide roller a is mounted between the lower lugs e.

` When not in use the said length of fabric hangs vertically downwards.

When the apparatus is in the open position the lower end of the fabric is pulled belowlthe roller and below the trays m and j and secured in this position by vclips or hooks secured to the lower edge of said fabric and engagin with the outer end of the tray j, the fa ric then catching any water which may drain or clip from the dishes or the like.

When the frame is in the open position the rear ends of the sides of the frame m is slightly below 'the dead centre so that the apparatus cannot be accidentally returned to the closed position.

To close the apparatus the hooks t are freed from the tra j so that it is drawn upwards bythe welghts 7' and hangs vertically at the rear of the apparatus;

The tray j is folded up and the tray g folded down. The rear end of the tray m. is'then slightly raised and the frames and tray can then be collapsed to assume the position shown in Figure 1.

Either of the two trays g and j may be used without opening out the frame Z), the tray g being operated as herein described and the tray j turned about its pivot so that notches or recesses u in the extensions thereof accomodate the lower ends of the sides of the frame a.

` What I claim is 1. A collapsible drying rack comprising a frame, a second frame articulated thereto near-the upper end thereof, means for retainin the lower ends of said frames in an exten ed position, divisions extending longitudinally of at least one of the frames, a tray articulated to one of said frames and means for supporting said tray in a horizontal position.

2. A collapsible rack comprising a frame, a second frame articulated thereto near the upper end thereof, vertical divisions extending longitudinally of at least one of said frames, horizontal cross members dividing said frames to form at least two tiers, and means to temporarily maintain the lower ends of said frames in an extended position with respect to each other.

3. A collapsible drying rack com rising a trame, a second frame articulate thereto near the u per 'end thereof, vertical divisions exten ing longitudinally of the frames, cross membersdividing both frames to form two tiers, linkwork to temporarily retain the lower ends of said frames in an extended position, a. tray articulated to the foot of one of said frames and means to retain said tray in a'horizontal position.

4. A collapsible drying rack com rising a frame, a second frame articulat thereto near the upper end thereof, vertical divilll sions extending longitudinally of at least one of the frames, cross members dividing each of said frames into a lower and u per tier, means for retaining the lower en s of said frames in an extended position, an auxiliary frame pivoted to one of said frames and means for automatically moving said auxiliary frame to a horizontal position-@between the two frames.

5. A'collapsible drying rack comprising a frame, a second frame articulated thereto near the upper end thereof, means for retaining the lower ends of said :frames in an extended position, divisions extending longitudinally of at least one of the frames, a tray articulated to one of said frames, means for supporting said tray a horizontal position and means to catchwater drops falling from utensils supported by said frames.

6. A collapsible drying rack com rising a frame, a second frame articulate thereto near the upper end thereof, means for retaining the lower ends of said frames in an extended position, divisions extending longitudinally of at least one of the frames, a tray articulated to one of said frames, means for supporting-said tray in a horizontal position, a roller, a flexible fabric sheet wound thereon and means to retain said sheetbelow "TNA collapsible drying rack 'com rising a frameyha second frame articulate thereto near the upper endthereof, means for retaining the lower ends of said frames in an extended position, divisions extending longitudinally of at least one of the frames, 'a tray pivotally supported near the upper ends of said frames, a second tray pivotally supported near the lower ends thereof, and

means for retainingl both trays in a hori` i zontal position.

WM. G. FITZGERALD. 

